Overhead door



Sept- 4 1951 c. E. scHLY-rERN l, 2,567,031

' OVERHEAD DOOR Filed zum.V 2o, 1946 2 sheets-sheet 1 Y 5'7- r3 5.5 /7 Z3; I7 I Y Z3 L9* I' /7` I', INVENTOR E f CHARLES @.SCHLYTERN BY Snow SePt- `4, 1951 Y c. E. scHLYTERN 2,567,031

OVERHEAD DOOR Filed Dec. 2o, 194e 2 sheets-sheet 2 1.15: 4 E 5 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 4, 1951 UNITED 3 V so that these hold together resiliently to form a weather seal joint when the door is closed. The extreme edge of the seal strip 33 on the upper edge of a panel l I has sufficient lateral deviation to go adjacent to the opposite flange of the end piece 21 where it is bent up and back to pass over the upper side of the inclined seal strip 3| from the bottom of the next higher section panel.

In this manner an effective weather seal is formed at all times when the door is closed. When in opening, the upper section panel Il must turn relatively, as represented by the dotted lines in Fig. 4, free movement between the secf tions is provided for, as the upper seal strip 3l merely turns away from the lower'seal ystrip 33, f

as shown by dotted lines. -Fig. 4A shows the weather seal joint formed `between backturned :flaps 34. This provides extra resilience, allows for j misalignment and assures even pressure along the entire length. A l

Pivotal snap-on hinge connections vare provided for quickly joining the door sections Il. Y As may be seen more clearly in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, a pivot pin spring 35, which may be. a liat leaf spring strip, is Isecured on and extends along the outer side of the Web of each channel iron end piece 21. This attachment may be done'by Welding or in any other suitable manner. The resilient spring strip 35 is suitably elongated so that at one end it is disposed adjacent to the outside of the web of the next end piece 21. This extended end of the resilientV strip 35 is provided with an inwardly directed projection or pin 31 which yenters an aperture 39 suitably provided in the web of the adjacent end piece 21..V Although the snap-on strip 35 is shown projecting down over the next end piece` 21 below, it may as well extend up over the next end piece` above. The door may be shipped in knock-down condition and it may conveniently be assembled on the job by pivotally joining the door sections through these quick snap-on connections. To permit each upper end piece rotating relative to the upper end of the end piece thereunder, as represented by dotted lines in Fig. 4, the lower end of each such end piece 21 may be provided with an open or cut out segment area 40 just suilicient for clearance, as shown. However, the clearance space 40 could be divided between the two. adjacent ends of piece 21 or it could be entirely in the upper end 7 of each end piece, as will be understood.

The channel iron end pieces 21 also serve to support and carry the guide rollers I9. This is accomplished by a bracket4l secured to the rear side of the rear flange of each such end piece, and so positioned that, as may be seen more clearly, in Figs. 3 7, the guide tracks or rails l1 being inclined to the rear of the door jamb, as shown in Fig. l, the door when closing down closely approaches the inside or rear edges of the door stop jamb I4.

The lower edge of the door is provided with a heavy astragal or sealing strip 43 extendingacross under the door and under the lower ends of the two lower end pieces 21. This strip 43 is made of soft moulded `rubber,or some similar material, so that it will serve as a weather seal under the door and also as a buffer to cushion the downward motion of the door as it closes. To mount and secure this astragal strip 43 it has an irnbedded snap-on insert 45 and the lower edge of the bottom door section panelll is turnedback to receive it thereon and hold it, as'shown in'Figs. 6 and '1.

A lock 41 is secured and carried on the rear or inside of one of the door section panels II, as may be seen in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, so that as it descends to the door closed position its bolty is depressed by an inclined surface 48 on lock cam or strike 49 mounted stationarily by the side of the door. The lock strike 49 presenting the inclined surface maybe a heavy metal strap passing over and secured on the inner side of one rail vl1 of the track, as by welding thereto, or it may be extended further for attachment to the door jamb by screws 5l.

ed in a suitable position adjacent the lock cam on `a block 53 on the inside of the door. The block and the door section panel are apertured suitably to permit a key to be inserted into the lock from outside the door `and it may be keyed with the other doors in the building, and operated from either side. As the door reaches its closed position, the lock bolt or latch passes under the stationary lock cam 49 which locks the door down.

To provide well balancedeasy'operation of the door evenly at both sides, a cross-shaft 55 is provided extending across over the doorway and rotatively supported in two bearing brackets 51 which may be mounted on the horizontal track braces 23, or on the building structure. The shaft carries two idler pulleys 59 secured firmly thereon, as by keys or set screws BD, and disposed adjacent the end of the shaft and over the side edges of the door for passing sash cord cables 6l extending thereover and down to the bottom of the door where the ends of the cables are anchored by passing down around and wedging into holds 33 secured firmly on the outer sides of the webs of the lowermost section end pieces 21. The ends of the cables 6I then ,are anchored by lacing through apertures in the rear anges of the bottom end pieces, as may be seen in Figs. 6 and 7.

From the idler pulleys59 on the ends of the shaft 55 the cables 6I pass through floating f sheaves and then return to have the other ends anchored in the'horizontal track braces 23 adjacent or at the shaft bearing brackets. The two floating spring sheaves 65 are attached to one end vof two counterbalance springs 61, the other ends of which are anchored into the two vertical track hangers 25, or to any stationary object or structure. The counterbalancing springs E1 are suitably selected and so tensioned in installation that the weight of the door is practically supported by the springs in all positions. As the door turns up on the horizontal overhead portionsV of the tracks, the tension eases on the springs but as the door turns vertically and descends to closed position the tension of the springs increases and supports the door Weight. v

The improved multi-section door may be lifted manually as by use of the corrugations from either side, or it may be actuated automatically by any suitable motor operator.

Figs. 8 and 9 show an improved spring yoke sheave which is retained on the end of the spring 61 without ttings and yet engages the spring simply and securely and may be varied to adjust the spring tension. For this purpose I provide a cross-piece 69 of a length greater than the diameter of the spring and a pair of legs or clevis members-1l secured thereto, as by welding, and projecting therefrom and suitably spaced apart to receive the sheave cable wheel 13, supported on an axle pin 15 passing between the spaced ends of the clevis members.

This sheave is easily attached to the end of the The lock 41 may be a con-A ventional cylinder and latch type of lock mountspring by merely turning the cross-piece 99 so that ends of the cross-piece enter and advance between adjacent turns of the spring, as shown.

It is apparent that within the scope of my invention modifications and different arrangements may be made other than herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending variations thereof.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. A multi-section overhead door comprising, a plurality of sheet metal door section panels of horizontally elongated conformation, a pair of end pieces for each door section, each end piece having a substantially channel shaped cross-section and being of a length substantially the same as the vertical dimension of the corresponding panel, said end pieces being individually disposed and secured with the open side of the channel cross-section thereof over the opposite ends of the door section panels, snapon pivot hinge means connected together for pivotally joining the ends of the end pieces in a relationship which may be quickly assembled or disassembled, the adjacent ends of the end pieces being conformed to provide clearance space for relative rotation between the end pieces, guide means projecting from the end pieces of each door section, said snap-on pivot hinge means comprising an elongated resilient member secured on and extending along the outer side of the web of one end of each channel cross-section end piece, said resilient member being elongated suitably to extend along the outer side of the web of the adjacent end of an adjacent end piece, an inwardly extending pivot projection carried on the extending end of each resilient member to be pressed resiliently against said next adjacent end piece, and each adjacent end piece having in the other end of its web a socket aperture for receiving the inwardly extending pivot projection of the resilient member of the adjacent end piece so that sections may be quickly and conveniently joined in a hinged relation by snapping together the resilient members and end pieces.

2. In a section for assembly into a door having a desired width and made up of a plurality of pivotally joined sections, a substantially rectangular panel sheet having a length equal to the width desired in the assembled door, a pair of channel cross-section end pieces disposed with the open sides over the ends of said panel sheet and the panel sheet being secured along the inner side of one flange of each end piece, said panel sheet being bent to provide reversely bent folds extending from end-to-end oi?l suiilcient lateral deviation to approach the opposite ilange of each end piece thereon, each channel end piece providing a pivot snap-in aperture adjacent one end, a resilient snap-in pivot strip secured on the outer side of the web of each channel end piece on the end remote from the end having said snap-in aperture, each said pivot strip being elongated suiiiciently to extend beyond its end piece and adjacent to the channel end piece of another section to be joined therewith, and the extended portion of each pivot strip having a pivot projection extending therefrom for conveniently snapping into the aperture in the end of a channel end piece of an adjacent section and forming a pivotal junction therewith to provide a door by pivotally joining a plurality of such panels.

'3. A multi-section overhead door comprising, a plurality of sheet metal door panels, an end piece secured on each end of each panel, means pivotally joining the ends of the end pieces together so that the panels are pivotally hinged together, the upper edge of each door panel being bent to form a weather seal extending laterally away from the plane of the door panel then extending upwardly and back a shorter distance toward the plane of the door panel, and the lower edge of each said door panel being bent to extend laterally from the door panel toward the same side as said upper edge is bent and extending to engage resiliently under the backwardly bent upper portion of the adjacent panel disposed thereunder for forming a weather seal between the hinged panels.

4. A multi-section overhead door comprising, a plurality of sheet metal door panels of hori- Zontally elongated conformation, a pair of end pieces for each door panel, each said end piece having a substantially channel shaped crosssection and being of a length substantially the same as the vertical dimension of the corresponding panel, each said end piece being arranged with the open side of its cross-section over the end of its corresponding panel and with the inner side of one of its side flanges secured thereto, hinge means pivotally joining the ends of said end pieces together so that the panels are hinged together to form a door, the upper edge of each door panel being bent laterally away from the plane of the door panel toward the opposite side flange of the end pieces and then extending upwardly and back a shorter distance toward the plane of the door panel, and the lower edge of each door panel being bent to extend laterally away from the door panel toward the same side as the upper edge is bent and extending to engage resiliently under the backwardly bent upper edge of the cooperative adjacent panel disposed thereunder to form a weather seal therewith between the panels.

CHARLES E. SCHLYTERN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 828,532 Carter Aug. 14, 1906 1,200,639 Moore et al. Oct. 10, 1916 1,419,236 Dickelman June 13, 1922 1,588,471 Bezkorowajnyj June 15, 1926 1,759,719 Spino et al May 20, 1930 2,062,417 Jay Dec. 1, 1936 2,072,514 Daniell Mar. 2, 1937 2,090,146 Pixley Aug. 17, 1937 2,124,970 Bagley July 26, 1938 2,126,418 Siess et al. Aug. 9, 1938 2,139,383 Robinson Dec. 6, 1938 2,198,369 Oyen Apr. 23, 1940 2,322,088 Black June 15, 1943 

